


My Sun, My Moon

by Menacherie



Category: Hockey RPF, Women's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 18:24:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9001528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menacherie/pseuds/Menacherie
Summary: “I’m too young to marry,” he says. “You are far too old actually,” Anthony protests by rote.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [torigates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/gifts).



_Thwack, thwack, thwack._

Duke can see the crowd around the practice field from the edge of the castle walls. Everyone enjoys the days that the prince is home long enough to teach the squires sword-play. The ladies from the court always like to watch, as well as the boys in town skipping out on their chores.

He leisurely walks down the well-worn path to the practice field and takes in the sight of Prince Max taking on three of the newest squires. The boys are yelling out encouragement to both the squires and the prince, unable to truly take sides in the matter. The ladies are fanning themselves and giggling. A few of the knights stationed in the city are passing coin around while Prince Max throws himself back into the fray. 

Closer now, the sound of the wooden practice swords reverberates through the area and Duke winces when he hears sound of wood hitting flesh. One of the squires, the middle Strome boy from the look of it, clutches at his arm with a hiss and falls back out of the makeshift circle. 

A low groan comes from one of the knights and Duke chuckles when he sees a few of the others exchange more coin. He makes his way up to the fence. “Betting against the Prince?” Duke asks. 

Captain Doan chuckles at him. “I know better,” he says, turning his gaze on the squires. “Got enough of his father in him, even if he weren’t the prince.” 

Duke nods as the third squire falls out of the circle and applause starts up. Prince Max turns and eggs the crowd on, laughter bright and loud. He smiles at Duke, and nods at him, before tilting his head towards the squires. Duke nods indulgently, and leans against the fence to look at Captain Doan. “Have we heard anything else about the bandits since the last raid?” he asks, trying to catch up on information that Prince Max likes to hold back. 

Captain Doan launches into the conversation easily while Prince Max lectures the squires on their stances and leads them through ways to fix the mistakes they made before handing them back over to Ekman-Larsson. Prince Max walks up to the conversation as Doan finishes his reports on the bandits that were terrorizing the forest the last time Duke made his monthly visit to the capital. 

Prince Max nods at Doan and throws his arm over Duke’s shoulder. Duke sighs, and shakes his head when a smile starts edging over Doan’s face. “Prince Max, while I am sure you have several people willing to do your laundry for you, my manservant often complains while doing mine whenever I find myself in your presence post-sword practice,” Duke reminds him. 

Prince Max gusts out a petulant breath across Duke’s ear, but drops his arm anyways. “It was nice speaking to you Captain,” Duke says, and Captain Doan tips his head to the both of them before heading back over to knights counting out coins. 

“What did I tell you, betting against the Prince like that?” he yells out in a booming voice, and the knights start groaning. “You’re lucky you have money left to spend!” 

Prince Max stifles a giggle against Duke’s shirt at the sight of the newer knights sending him a look of panic. “As much as I am happy to see you Duke, I am wondering why you’re back so early?” Prince Max says quietly as not to be heard. 

“You weren’t due back for another week,” Prince Max says. 

Duke hums and tilts his head towards the castle, where there are far less ears, and definitely less wagging tongues. 

\--

Duke settles into the most comfortable chair in Max’s room while Max changes out of his practice clothes. His hair is still matted to his head with sweat, and Duke averts his gaze to the window, glancing out over the capital city. 

“There have been reports of people gathering near our borders,” Duke finally lets him know, after Max has settled in at the table, still only half dressed. “I’ve already discussed the reports with your father.” 

“When do Orion and I ride out?” Max asks, buttoning up his shirt. 

“Captain Doan is leading the charge,” Duke says stiffly. He is prepared for the argument.

Max- Prince Max, he is always a Prince when his eyes flare like this, opens his mouth and Duke straightens his back. “We cannot afford to lose our Crown Prince over what is most likely bandits,” Duke says. 

Prince Domi sets his jaw and pushes the chair back to stand. “If there are bandits on my land I will be the one to take care of them,” he says. 

He should look ridiculous, shirt still half unbuttoned, trousers still undone, but the fire in his eyes is enough to make him look the Prince he is. “I agree,” Duke says, dropping his gaze to the table. 

“Then why is Captain Doan leading the charge?” he snarls out. Duke clenches his fist, wonders why it is he that always bears bad news for the King and Queen to their son. 

“Because we can not afford to lose the Prince over something that we have begun to suspect is not bandits,” Duke tells him. He closes his eyes. “You are also due somewhere else.” 

Prince Max pauses and leans down to properly look at Duke.  
“Anthony?” he says quietly. 

“You are to meet the woman your parents intend you to marry this week, and as such can not be running around killing bandits or interlopers instead.” Anthony’s throat is dry as the desert at the corner of the Kingdom, where Max loves best. 

Max stays silent, for he is just Max again, Anthony’s best friend. “The woman-” Max starts to say, then swears quietly under his breath. 

“I’m too young to marry,” he says. 

“You are far too old actually,” Anthony protests by rote.

"Why do mother and father do this to you, always make you break the bad news?” Max asks, crossing the room to hold Anthony’s face in his hands. 

“They fear losing your love,” Anthony says. His eyes burn, but do not water. 

“The woman they want me to marry,” Max says quietly. “I’ve cursed the day you were born a male many a time,” he whispers. 

“Sometimes I wish you were a princess instead, but then, would I have loved you the same?” Anthony asks. “Surely I must have, in this different world, for I think I would love you in any world.” 

Max’s face becomes stony and he pulls away to finish dressing. “I’ll tell them no.” 

“You cannot,” Anthony chokes out.

Max finishes his clothing and glances back at him. “With your love behind me I can do anything,” he says. 

Anthony shakes his head, and then quickly stands when Max strides out of the door. “You cannot,” he says, and then runs out of the room to follow. 

\--

“No,” King Domi says as soon as they burst through the door. “You may not go raiding.” 

“And yes,” Queen Domi says, just as firmly. “You must marry.” 

“And what if I love another?” Prince Max asks. Anthony’s breath catches and he nearly trips over his feet. 

The Queen looks up from her reports and the King looks away from the window. 

“Yes,” Prince Max says. “What if my heart was already given freely to another? What if I cannot bear to go on without them by my side? Would you have me rip my heart apart for an alliance?” 

The Queen looks over at Anthony, who must be pale with shock and then back at her son. “Yes,” she says, and the King looks at her in shock. “For the one you love cannot produce you a son nor a daughter that will rule the kingdom in your stead when you are too weak or in the ground. They would provide the greatest of counsel and I regret that you heart will forever be torn, but they cannot do the one thing they must do to marry you.” 

Prince Max stares at her in horror. The king finally catches on and glances at Anthony. 

“M- Prince Max,” Anthony says, his voice jagged and cracked. “The Queen is right.”

Prince Max says nothing, though the set of his shoulders says enough. He knows she is right, more, he knows he cannot fight this. 

\--

The journey to the Kessel’s Kingdom is not a long one, but it is a tortuous one. Prince Max usually delights in taking Orion out for any occasion. Instead of riding ahead and scouting what is to come, Prince Max sits on Orion and sulks for the entire journey. Ekman-Larsson and his squires glance at Prince Max in confusion, then to Duke for an explanation. 

No one talks much. 

\--

Princess Amanda Kessel is a true beauty, if Duke cared about women in such a way. Her blonde hair and blue eyes are a rarity where Duke is from, but Duke cares little about her beauty. He wants to know that Max will be happy with her. Max bows and kisses her hand. She has a kind smile. 

\--

Duke is to chaperone their time together. Duke would rather cut out his eyes and serve them to bandits, but Duke always does what he must for his Prince. Another woman is there to serve as a chaperone for Princess Amanda. 

“I am Hilary Knight,” she says tonelessly, looking as depressed as Duke feels. 

“You must love her very much,” he says, and she looks up at him in surprise, before glancing at the Prince. 

“And you must love him very much as well, to travel so far just to watch him fall in love.” 

“Yes,” Duke said simply. 

“Does she know?” he asks Knight.

“Yes,” she says simply, and they both nod, with a better understanding of each other. 

\--

Prince Max and Amanda get on well. Duke knows that Prince Max will never actually fall in love with her, but she will make a good queen and a good mother. Duke knows that Princess Amanda will never fall in love with Prince Max either, but they will become close, and that is all Duke could wish for. Happiness will come, eventually. 

\--

Duke stumbles upon a secret meeting. “I’m coming with you,” Knight whispers fiercely. 

“I would not do that to you,” the princess replies, and Duke sees a hand caress Knight’s face. He should not be here, but to move would be to make noise. 

“I will die a thousands deaths everyday I do not see your face my lady,” Knight says, turning her face into the hand. 

“Max tells me that women are not knights in his kingdom, what will you do?” 

“I will be your lady in waiting, I will be your protector, I will be the first Knight of his kingdom to also be a woman.” Knight tells Princess Amanda. “But you cannot ask me to leave your side, for that will surely kill me.” 

\--

“I have an idea,” Duke tells Max that night in Max’s room. 

Max lifts his head from his book, a grin on his face. Duke rarely has ideas the same way Max does, but Dukes ideas are always the best sort of ideas. 

 

“We should run away and become peasants so no one can tell us who to marry?” Max asks. 

“No, wait, was that your idea? That is a horrible idea, you would make a horrible peasant.” 

Max sulks, but Duke shakes his head and walks over to Max. “You will marry the Princess,” he starts, and puts a finger over Max’s mouth when he begins to protest. “And I will marry her Hilary Knight.” 

Max frowns, for he has not noticed that Hilary and Amanda are in love. “During the day, you will be Amanda’s, and I, Hilary’s. During the night, you will be mine, and Amanda, Hilary’s.” Duke says. 

“No one will think that we do not love who we should not, Amanda is quite like me, think first, leap second. And, Hilary is quite like you, leap first, think second.” 

“You,” Max says, when Duke leans back. “You are brilliant,” he breathes out with sparkling eyes. Duke smiles, and Max brings his face closer with both hands framing his face. 

“I will spend a million days with Amanda to spend a million nights with you,” Max says, his breath gusting over Duke. Duke closes his eyes. 

Max kisses him. Anthony opens his eyes widely. “No use in waiting for a marriage when we know we will never have one,” Max whispers, his thumb sweeping over Anthony’s cheek bone. “It is night, and I belong to you,” 

“Pri-” 

“No,” Max says, shaking his head. “I am always just Max to you at night, and Anthony is what you will be known as.” 

Anthony nods, and Max presses another kiss to his lips and Anthony remember almost drowning once, when they were children. He remembers not being able to breathe, and how it was a heady thing. 

This is worse. Anthony’s lungs constrict, his heart as well. It is as if his whole body is being remade under Max’s hands, Max’s lips. “I am yours,” Anthony pledges. 

“And I too, and yours,” Max whispers back. 

\--

Princess Amanda glances at Duke as Max explains the plan. “Anthony of Duclair, you are a wise man,” she says. “Knight wanted to run off and become peasants.” 

Max colors and ducks his head. “As did Prince Max,” Duke says, a smile playing at his lips. 

Princess Amanda tilts her head back and laughs, loudly. “You and I,” she says once she has finished. “I think, we will become great friends.” 

“I think we will,” he agrees. 

\--

When Max is married he invites Anthony and Hilary (already wed by King Kessel’s priests and the wise men of Duke’s own country) to move into the castle. It is not strange, for everyone knows that Prince Max only listens to Duke, and that Hilary and Princess Amanda have been friends since they were children. 

Duke passes Amanda in a secret passageway to Max’s room every night. Duke presses a kiss to her cheek, and she does the same. “Thank you,” Duke says every night. 

“No, thank you,” she always replies before they both leave to see their loves. 

Max’s face when the sun goes down and Anthony appears in his room is always worth whatever has happened and whatever will happen.


End file.
